Alchemy in The Violet War
In this series of books, Alchemists are broken out into several factions. The original Alchemists were taught by Promethean, himself, who sought to put a bit of magic back into the hands of mortals. For whatever reason, only those creatures and beings that do not have magic in their blood can perform Alchemical rites to merge magic with metal, create potions, infuse shields with protection, etc. From alchemists working as genetic engineers, manipulating blood and bone on the DNA level, to Royal Alchemists coating precious metals with bottled magical essence, there are several factions of mortals who blend biological and inanimate objects with magic they were not born with.
As you may remember from the legend, several gods, goddesses and other creatures cast out Promethean and punished him for bringing the “fire of the gods” to mortal man. After Promethean’s crimes were brought to justice, the gods struck a deal with man, allowing them to keep their “taught” magic provided it remained within their family.
Alchemy in The Violet War series is inspired by historical events. Traditional alchemy began thousands of years ago, and can be traced back through several cultures including Chinese, Grecian, Arabic, Egyptian and Italian. More than just the transmutation of lead into gold, traditional Alchemists believed in the transformation of the spirit. A philosophy coupled with archetypes, many Alchemists coded their strange Alchemical formulas into paintings or inscriptions, and its mystical background is a source of inspiration for comics, games, TV shows, books and art. In addition to its philosophy, however, Alchemy is also linked to early Chemistry, metallurgy, earth science and medicine.
From encoded rituals into elaborate paintings to the infamous “Emerald Tablet,” Alchemy has a rich history filled with mystery and magic. My decision to infuse this series based on Alchemy came from a strange passage I read in a Taschen art book entitled Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob. This book is a virtual treasure trove of information about this ancient art form, offering examples of symbolic paintings and hieroglyphs and a touch of history. Structured according to sections of belief, Alchemists often had a focused philosophy that addressed everything from childcare to the divine.
After perusing the rich tapestry and colorful paintings, I came across a series that talked about how Alchemists used to place themselves in tubs of boiling hot water, waiting for their skin to be “purified” by turning it blistering pink. To you and me this ritual might seem strange, but to an Alchemist who used bone and ash for his rites just as easily as he utilized silver and lead, this was perfectly normal. The first chapter hints at that weird rite–when Sophie can’t find the cold faucet switch.
More to come on Alchemy in this series. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy it.
Tags: Alchemy, promethean
